You know when you have a core memory of doing something – only to realize it never happened? This review is the definition of that. I know I had my notes and a whole bank of photos done, yet I can’t find any evidence of doing so. This tea was delivered to me at my old home where I tried it and then it got packed into a box and just recently rediscovered. And those notes? Vanished! Either way – when I make a commitment – I stick to it!
Upland Tea Company is a groovy tea company that started around the idea that tea can be innately healing, with a focus on Rooibos. They have three main points highlighted on their website – dynamic packaging (Biodegradable and good for the environment), ethically sourced tea, and made with love. I received their “original” Western Cape Rooibos tea – which is just plain ethically sourced rooibos. Here are my thoughts:
Western Cape Rooibos
I am going to start off by saying – I have had really good rooibos before and I have had stale, not-so-great rooibos before. So, I feel fairly comfortable with drinking it and comparing it to experiences that I have had before. The first thing I noticed when I stuck my nose into this rooibos was how fresh it smelled. It carried a rose-like aroma, that was very fresh and just almost thick to my nose. Right away, I knew that this was going to be my new go-to for my alter-ego: hungover Danielle (I drink only rooibos and water when I am hungover – fun fact!).
The rooibos leaves were a night brownish red color, almost reminding me of like the reddish brown in red pandas. It’s beautiful in its own way. The leaves were thin, and of different sizes (with none being too big). I brewed the tea right as I was settling into reading my book for book club, which set a lovely scene before bed. The tea brewed a beautiful red color with slight yellow edges when in a teacup (which you can slightly make out in the picture above).
The taste was everything I wanted rooibos to be – a little bit of wood in there, with a vanilla-like note that lingers in the mouth. I thought there was a slight nuttiness to it too, with an aftertaste of bark. Now, some people might be off-put by the description of “bark” but it really fits in with this tea. It’s not as full force as you taking a chunk of bark off of a tree and biting into it, but more subtle-like and almost an afterthought with this tea.
All in all, you could tell that this tea was fresh, and in my case when drinking it a few month’s later – it keeps in your tea collection for a while (Which if you have as much tea as I do – this is a needed factor).
INGREDIENTS: African Red Bush
SOURCING: Their rooibos is sourced from tea estates they have a relationship within South Africa. I wished they gave some more sourcing information such as the city or tea estate name.
PACKAGING: I think I have their old packaging which is a glass container – which I love since it keeps the tea so fresh. I cannot comment on their newer biodegradable packaging.
PRICING: Eight ounces of Western Cape Rooibos is $28 – which is on the pricier side of things regarding rooibos and edges into premium territory.
Have you ever tried rooibos? What did you think of it? Let me know in the comments below – Happy Brewing!
– Danielle
